Improvement in toys



Toy.

Patented April 22, 1879.

J. H. BOWEN fitmssr:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

JAMES H. BOWEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,615, dated April Q2, 1879; application-filed Mai-eh o, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. BOWEN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toy Trick Animals or Figures, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, partly sectional. Fig. 2 is an end view of the base thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two gures.

My invention relates to a toy in which is imitated the movement of an animal in kicking up his hind legs and tossing the rider heels over head, or causing him to be unseated.

It consists, lirst, of the means for automatically elevating the rear of the body; next, the means for automatically throwing up the hind legs, furthermore, the means for causing the rider to be unseated; finally, the means for reseating the rider.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of an animal or other figure, and B C the front and hind legs or supports thereof, respectively. The body is pivoted, as at a, to the immovable front legs, which are firmly secured to a base, D, and the hind legs are pivoted, as at b, to the rear of the body.

E represents an elevating-spring, which is connected to the body A at or near the rear thereof, and to the front legs by means of a post or bar, F, projecting from the top of the same into the body. To the upper end of the rear legs there is pivoted a rod, G, which is pivoted to the upper end of the front legs, or

a projection thereon, the hind legs being extended at top, or provided with an arm there at, to afford the proper connection for the rod.

H represents a ligure or rider, in the present case that of a boy, which is loosely seated on the body A of the animal, and represented in the act of grasping the bridle J, which consists of bars cast with or firmly connected to the immovable arms of the figure. The bridlebars are xed to a bit or rod, K, which is journaled in the mouth portion of the animal, and by means of a bar,J, forming a crank with one of the bridle-bars J, is connected to a chain, strap, cord, or flexible arm, L, which, simulating a mart-in gale, is secured to the top of the front legs.

To the under side of the base D is pivoted a spring-catch, M, whose nose d projects upwardly through the base, so as to engage with one or both hoofs of the hind legs of the animal, and said catch is depressed by means of a button, e, which is conveniently accessible on the upper face of the base.

The normal position of the toy is when the hind legs are controlled by the catch M and the figure H is seated on the back of the animal.

The operation is as follows: rIlhe button e is depressed, thus releasing the hind legs from the catch M, and the spring E immediately exerts its power, thus forcibly elevating the rear of the body A. As the body rises the hinged hind legs C, owing to the rod G, are thrown up in imitation of kicking, and the rider is impelled forward from his seat on the animals back.

As the rider or figure and the bridle-bars are rmly connected or cast together, and said bars are fixed to the journaled bit or vrod K, the latter forms an axis for the rider or figure, which is thus caused to overturn, heels over head, and descend head foremost, striking the base D, all of which being shown by the dotted lines, Fig. l.

In order to prevent noise and fracture of the head of the ligure and the base, a pad of rubber or other elastic material in ay be secured Y to the base in such position as to break the force of the blow of the descending ligure.

If desired, a nipple may be applied in lieu of the pad for the support of a cap or other fulminate to be snappedby the blow of the figure.

In order to restore the parts of the toy to their normal positions, the hind legs are drawn down until one or both of said legs are engaged by the catch M. The rear of the body follows the downward motion of said legs, and as the head of the body rises the bit or rod K, owing to the arm J and flexible arm L, is caused to rotate, thus raising the bridlebars J and ligure H, and automatically rescating the latter on the back of the animal.

It will be seen that I produce au interesting and amusing toy.

The base D is formed with laterally-projecting lugs j', ou which are xed pieces, bands, or feet g, of rubber or other elastic material,

which receive the weight of the toy, in order to prevent scratching or injury 0f the table on which the toy is placed, overcome the tendency of the toy to move when the figure H strikes the base, and ease the base when the blow is struck.

If desired, a iguremay be pivoted to the baseiu rear ofthe hind legs, so as to be struck bythe ascent of said legs, as shown at the right hand 0i' the base.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The body A, pivoted to immovable front legs or supports, and provided with a spring, E, substantially as described, whereby the rear of the body is automatically elevated when the hind legs are released, as stated.

2. The hind legs pivoted to the body A, and

connected to the immovable front legs or supports by the rod Gr, substantially as described,

whereby said legs, when released, are automatioally thrown or kicked up.

3. A figure representing a rider loosely seated on the body A, and having an axial con- J. H. BOWEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, SAML. M. GRICE. 

